The Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), which came together in October of 2011, has officially made application with the NCAA to become the 24th conference at the Division II level.
The President of each member institution has signed the application, which was submitted to the NCAA in advance of the required December 1, 2011 deadline.
“We at Kentucky Wesleyan College are excited to be a part of the formation of this new NCAA Division II Athletic Conference bringing together like-minded schools from our geographical region,” according to President Craig Turner.
“The G-MAC will afford our student-athletes the opportunity for competitive Division II athletic contests with less travel and fewer missed classes.”
Over the past month, the G-MAC has come together quickly with six schools from Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, including Cedarville University (Cedarville, Ohio), Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio), Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro, Ky.), Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, Tenn.), Urbana University (Urbana, Ohio), and Ursuline College (Pepper Pike, Ohio).
The submitted materials include a letter of application, a completed application document as prescribed by the membership process, a feasibility study, a strategic plan for the league and the approved G-MAC Constitution, Bylaws and projected budgets.
The NCAA Membership Committee will review the application and make an official decision in February of 2012 on the status of the G-MAC as an active NCAA Division II conference.
If approved, the G-MAC will begin an educational assessment program with the goal of satisfying the requirements of the program within the year.
As part of the process, Tom Daeger was hired as the G-MAC's first Commissioner on November 21.
“If approved, we will continue to advance the growth of the conference membership,” said Daeger.
“The G-MAC intends to incorporate by July 2012 and provide the services expected of a NCAA Division II conference for the 2012-13 academic year by offering all administrative, scheduling, officiating, championship and other opportunities.
“It is the intent of the G-MAC membership to build a model NCAA Division II conference office from the outset and steps are being taken to achieve this goal.”
If the G-MAC gains active approval, and at such point at which the league meets sports sponsorship and active member requirements, it will gain full privileges of NCAA Division II Conference membership, including conference grant distribution, voting rights and representation on the NCAA Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
The G-MAC will receive a share of the NCAA Enhancement Fund one year after meeting active conference membership requirements and hopes to gain automatic qualification for NCAA Championships two years after active membership for those sports in which the league meets the necessary requirements.
“The G-MAC members have worked diligently to compile a detailed application for the NCAA Division II Membership Committee's review,” said Daeger.
“We will continue to work hard in ensuring we are embracing the NCAA Division II philosophy and will strive to be an asset for the D-II membership if approved as the division's 24th conference.”
